The Usual Street
by Rapis-Razuri
Summary: Their paths may not cross, but all paths are connected somewhere. After the final battle, there is one more promise to fulfill. [Post-KHIII. Naminé/Roxas. Spoilers for KHIII]
1. in a world without you

alternate title: _if nomura won't show me my otp's reunion, i will write it myself._

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They closed up the crack in the wall. He noticed that on his first day back in this world.

Not a problem at all, in truth. The underground concourse was a twisting maze of passages, but Roxas knew every nook and cranny of the town like the back of his hand, a mental map imprinted in his memories, both real and false.

He climbed out of the broken cellular door and into the woods surrounding Twilight Town. Things were peaceful now, not a single adversary in sight. Roxas thought of the Heartless he defeated here, harvesting their hearts for the Organization. Of the Dusks he chased in pursuit of stolen photos. Even now, he half-expected something to jump down from a tree or appear from a portal, but nothing of the sort happened. Little Chef had nothing to worry about when foraging anymore.

He arrived at his destination, the place where he was born. Someone - Sora - had opened the gates, but still the Old Mansion seemed ever so cut off from the rest of the world.

The mansion was more lonely than creepy, really. At least in Roxas's opinion.

_Just like how you were. Right, Naminé?_

He'd pushed her out of his mind when he awoke. There were more urgent things happening, he knew. And even if there weren't, he was no scientist like Zexion - Ienzo now, he supposed - and Ansem the Wise. There was nothing he could do to help them piece her heart together from data, so there was no point in dithering when there was a war to be fought.

But really, he was lying to himself. Rationalizing his unwillingness to face the truth and once again running from the question he really wanted to ask. He was Sora's Nobody when they met, and she was Kairi's. The flush in his cheeks, the sweat on his palms, and the _fury_ when he lost her. Were those things his? Or Sora's?

A week after the final battle, Roxas was finally ready to answer those questions. And he decided… It didn't matter.

Though he did not know it at the time, she'd been there after the world ended in his mind, guided him through the confusion that followed, and, perhaps most importantly, gave him the answers he'd left the Organization to seek. His summer vacation may not have been real, but she was. Meeting her was the only thing about those seven days he knew for sure was real.

Now that she wasn't here in this world, in _any_ world anymore, he missed her.

She told him once that he was never meant to exist, that Nobodies like them were doomed to fade back into darkness. She was wrong on both accounts, but it wasn't a matter of her being wrong or right, not anymore. If his existence was not a mistake, then neither was hers.

And in knowing that…

"It's not fair..."

"Oh, haven't you heard? Life isn't fair."

Roxas nearly jumped out of his skin. Several feet away, Xion threw her head back and laughed.

"Geez, Xion! What was that for?"

"I'm sorry!" she apologized, still giggling. "You were just standing there and zoning out, like a zombie. It isn't like you to daydream, so I couldn't help myself."

Roxas huffed. "I was not daydreaming."

"I know," Xion said bluntly, "You were thinking about Naminé."

Silence. This was the first time the topic of Naminé came up between him and any of his friends.

"Was I?"

"You were staring at her window."

Roxas considered denying it, but there was something determined about the way Xion was looking at him. He sighed. "Caught me, I guess."

Xion took a few steps forward. "Ienzo says they've almost managed to recreate her heart."

"I know," Roxas replied bitterly, "But is that enough? You and I both know a connection was needed. I had Sora, but Naminé..." They lost Kairi. What if they lost Naminé's chance at salvation before it was even possible? Roxas regretted not protesting Sora's departure more than ever.

_Dammit, Xemnas. _

Xion placed her hand on his shoulder and pressed her forehead against his back. "They're not here anymore," she whispered, "But _we_ are. If neither of them can be the connection Naminé needs to be whole again… we'll just have to suffice won't we?"

Roxas turned around in surprise. "We?"

"Yes. _We_," Xion said firmly as she crossed her arms and gave him a stern look. "Olette and I are tired of being the only girls in our group."

That made him smile. "Sorry, I was surprised. That's all," Roxas admitted sheepishly, not quite sure how to address this other unspoken matter between them. "I just assumed…"

"Did you assume I didn't want her back because of you?"

Seeing no other way out of this hole he'd somehow dug himself into, Roxas gave one slow reluctant nod. And he was rewarded with a flick on his forehead.

"Ow!"

"I see becoming your own person has made you a little egotistical," Xion said. She sounded amused, but there was a flicker of pain in her eyes. "I don't want to lie to you anymore, Roxas, so I'll be honest with you. It does hurt, but you're my friend and I want you to be happy. Naminé is a good person, I think I can say that for sure now, and she deserves to be happy too."

"Xion…"

She spun around, holding her hands behind her back. "For your sakes, I can can handle a little hurt. I made up my mind about this a long time ago. If she wants what you want, don't think twice on my account, okay?" she said with nary a trace of hesitance and with her head held high. "I _want_ Naminé to come back. Sora isn't the only one who owes her their thanks."

Roxas sighed, not realizing how much her blessing mattered to him until he had it. "Thank you, Xion."

She grinned over her shoulder, a smile meant to show strength in the midst of sorrow. "Don't stay out too long. Isa is making dinner today. You know what he's like when people are late."

Roxas smiled back, equal parts gratitude and sorrow. "I wouldn't dream of it."

He watched Xion walk off into the woods, taking with her a future that could of been. There was a sense of loss in it. Roxas knew things wouldn't have been able to stay the same between them after everything. Too much has changed since they lost each other. _They've_ changed.

It was with a heavy heart that Roxas finally pushed open the mansion's front doors. He knew his friends had visited this place in search of a way to bring him back. Some of the footprints on the dusty floors leading to the library must be theirs, but the dust in hallway leading to Naminé's room was as undisturbed as a blanket of freshly fallen snow.

Naminé's door was locked, a problem that wasn't a problem for Roxas at all. Taking a deep breath to calm himself might have been a mistake when he broke into coughs, but he opened the door and looked inside.

Her white room was completely untouched by the flow of time. Her drawings lay scattered about on the floor and on her table or were hanging on the walls with not a trace of dust inside. Tracing his steps from his last day in the other Twilight Town, Roxas went to the wall opposite the chair he'd come to think of as Naminé's.

The drawing of him and Sora was still there, as was the one of him escaping the Dark City. Roxas placed a hand on the wall, brushing the edge of the second. Now that he remembered everything… these drawings stirred emotions from within him that were very different from those he'd initially felt.

Roxas wondered how Naminé knew of that moment. She did call herself a witch with powers over Sora's memories and those around him, didn't she? She knew him, or at least knew _of_ him long before he knew anything about her.

He lowered his arm. Or perhaps not. There was a far-off memory from his days in the Organization that he'd forgotten until now. A memory of collapsing after a mission in Agrabah the day he found out someone in Castle Oblivion had been "terminated."

A breeze stirred, making the curtains flutter gently. Roxas tried to imagine what it was like for Naminé, to look out from that window at the outside world knowing she would never be a part of it.

There was so much he wanted to talk to her about.

"I want to meet you again," Roxas said to the empty room, "Like we promised."

* * *

Maybe one of these days he'll get on a Gummi Ship and go on an adventure. Maybe one of these days he'll want to wake up not knowing what the day had in store for him. But for now, what Roxas _wanted_ was to know exactly what he'll be doing when he woke up in the morning. A little stability - _true_ stability - for once would do him some good.

Axel thought he and Xion were crazy for wanting to _go to school_ of all things, but really… how else will Roxas finally get to have the summer vacation he always wanted?

The memories DiZ gave him of life as an ordinary boy in Twilight Town painted him as a responsible and hardworking student. Not as studious as Olette, but far more so than Hayner. Roxas found it surprisingly easy to slip into routines he never actually had. Organization XIII had instilled a strong sense of discipline and work ethic into him if nothing else.

(Which kind of disappointed Hayner. He thought Roxas would be "cooler than this.")

Six days after visiting the Old Mansion found Roxas sitting outside the bistro doing his homework under the world's perpetual sunset. It was sheer chance that he decided to stretch in his chair when he did, and sheer chance that he looked up just in time to see something very unusual in the sky above.

Was that a _Gummi Ship_?

A very familiar one, too.

Homework forgotten, Roxas scrambled for his phone, wondering if he missed something in his concentration. A press of a button here and a little scrolling there revealed a few unread messages, but nothing that would explain the presence of Sora's Gummi Ship in Twilight Town.

Roxas slumped in his chair, letting the hand holding the Gummiphone fall limp in disappointment. Maybe he imagined the ship. Not a day passed where Roxas couldn't feel the hole Sora left behind.

The Gummiphone vibrated. It was a message from Hayner.

_Study break! (Finally) Let's meet up at the Usual Spot! Olette brought the ice cream._

A break sounded like a wonderful idea. All this studying had to be getting to him, and he'd been sitting for far too long. As someone who was used to constant physical activity, the longer route would be a nice opportunity to stretch his legs.

Station Heights was less crowded than the neighborhood square, but nonetheless, Roxas nearly bumped into a boy who could not have been older than seven, calling for his friends to slow down and wait up. Knowing the path to the back alley was just up ahead, he turned the corner and looked up at the top of the sloped street.

And then time seemed to stop.

Blonde hair. Blue eyes. White dress.

It was day 361 all over again.

As far as appearances went, she hasn't changed since the last time he saw her. The canvas bag was new, but everything from the curl of her hair on her shoulder to the pale blue sandals on her feet was the same.

But…

Whenever Roxas imagined the next time they would be able to meet, he thought she'd be happy. Reality, it seems, was something quite different. There was something guarded about the way Naminé was looking at him now. Not quite… Not quite _afraid_, but certainly weary.

Someone bumped into her. She stumbled off to the side, breaking eye contact with him in the process.

Roxas reacted at once.

He only meant to break her fall, but as soon as he took her hand, the maelstrom of emotion threatening to drown him where he stood came crashing down. Roxas didn't care that they were in the middle of a public street. He didn't care that there were people who could see. He didn't care that he was supposed to be on his way to the Usual Spot because _Naminé was here_.

Not letting another minute go to waste, Roxas pulled her into his arms and he never, ever wanted to let go.

She stiffened. For a moment, he feared she didn't feel quite as passionately for this moment as he did, but only for a moment. Naminé threw her arms around his neck and back, nuzzling into the crook of his neck and pressing herself closer against him as she began to cry. Her soft sobs were enough to make her entire body quiver. She felt so small and fragile in his arms, and he wondered how he never noticed her vulnerability before.

She once told him he was never meant to exist. It was simply the truth as she knew it. In understanding that, in understanding _her_, it made it easier to see the hurt she's been carrying since long before they met.

Because right here, right now, the poised and confident girl whom he met in the fake Twilight Town melted away to reveal the lonely girl she'd kept so carefully hidden from him all this time. This was a side of Naminé he did not know, a side that knew a kind of loneliness he did not.

And that was okay. Naminé was Naminé.

Pressing his cheek against her head, he ran his fingers through her hair as though that would make the steadily growing lump in his throat go away. _I'm sorry. I'm _so_ sorry. I should have been there when you woke up. I swear I'll protect you from now on if you would let me. _

In the end, it felt like _she_ was the one comforting _him_. Roxas was always taking things from her wasn't he? Answers, comfort, solace. He started off on the wrong foot when all he wanted was to give her the things she'd given him, but he'll do better. He _will_ do better if she would be willing to give him the chance.

She was the one who pulled away from their embrace first. Roxas did as she bid, despite wanting to cling to her for another instant, but she did not go far. There was a wet spot on his shoulder and, still holding onto his jacket with one hand, the girl in white wiped her eyes with the other.

Naminé, as it turned out, was not a pretty crier. Yet, the moment she smiled a smile that reached her red, puffy eyes, there were twice as many stars in the sky.

"Looks like we meet again," she said, reaching up to wipe away his tear, "Like we promised."


	2. when i come to

things you will tear from my cold dead hands:

\- momfriend riku

\- post kh3 riku-roxas rivalry

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Meeting the three Keyblade wielders who lived in the Land of Departure had been an odd experience. Terra had recognized her at once. Naminé never had pleasant experiences with adult men, but Terra was different. Maybe it was because they've made a connection before meeting face to face - or maybe the way he ruffled Ventus's hair or teased Aqua for being "such a girl" was so earnest - but Naminé knew Terra was someone she could trust, someone she could be sure won't try to use her.

When Terra explained who she was to Aqua and Ventus, their dispositions towards her somehow managed to become even _more_ welcoming and hospitable. Naminé was honestly surprised by how warm Master Aqua was, knowing her trial of surviving in the Realm of Darkness for eleven years. It only made Naminé admire her more. She could only hope to be as strong as this brave, elegant lady one day.

Ventus… Knowing what to expect when meeting him had not made actually meeting him any less of a shock. The youngest of Master Eraqus's apprentices had been perfectly kind and affable to her. He did not _look_ exactly like Roxas, nor did he _sound_ exactly like Roxas, but similar enough that seeing his face and hearing him talk was simply _jarring_.

Once she and Riku - Riku, actually - explained their situation to them, the three had been more than happy to allow Naminé and Riku raise a memorial to someone they've never met in their home. Now that Castle Oblivion was gone, the Land of Departure was the closest thing to the place where the Riku Replica was born.

It didn't seem quite _fair_ to Naminé. The Riku Replica deserved to rest in a place that brought him peace, not where he was used, mocked, and manipulated. But, when it came down to it, the Land of Departure was also the only place where they _could_ lay him to rest.

Riku had retrieved the broken Way to Dawn from the Realm of Darkness sometime before picking her up. Now the Keyblade served as his Replica's tombstone and around it, Naminé laid a wreath of flowers they purchased in Radiant Garden.

A member of the Restoration Committee had sold them the flowers and suggested the specific blooms. _"In our world, lilies are used during funerals to represent how the souls of the deceased have returned to a state of innocence after death, and the edelweiss symbolizes deep love, devotion, and freedom."_

Naminé kneeled before the grave to pray. What came after the Final World, nobody would know until they crossed into it themselves, but Naminé hoped it was something like the picture Aerith had painted for them. If anyone deserved a place of peace and rest and freedom from suffering, it was the Riku Replica.

_Too high a price_, a voice nagged within her. _He never should have payed it_. Naminé's heart had been encoded as data, but his… He should have taken the replica for himself.

Riku placed a hand on her shoulder. "He knew what he was doing," he said softly, "It was what his heart decided. No one could have changed his mind."

Naminé didn't reply. She wished she had something else to leave at the grave as an offering as Eraqus's apprentices had left their Wayfinders on their master's, but she had nothing to her name save for the clothes on her back.

Finally, when she was ready, Naminé took Riku's offered hand and allowed him to help her onto her feet. The two of them walked back to Sora's Gummi Ship. Not a word passed between them until they were settled in the cockpit, Riku in the pilot's seat.

"So, where to next?"

Naminé could only blink in confusion.

Riku stared blankly back at her, until he cursed under his breath and reached under his chair. "I should have given this to you earlier," he explained as he pulled out a canvas bag and handed it to her. "But getting you caught up on everything and deciding how to honor my Replica… It slipped my mind. Sorry."

"It's okay," Naminé assured him. The gesture itself had been sweet enough as is, but when she pulled out a sketchbook, _her_ sketchbook, she felt a tightness in her chest. "I thought I lost this," she said as she looked towards Riku in gratitude. "Thank you."

"It's nothing," he replied. Was it just her, or was he blushing? "Colored pencils, crayons... I got you a set of watercolors too, since I thought you might like to try something new."

This was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for her.

"And a brand-new Gummiphone, just for you."

"A Gummi… what?"

"A Gummiphone. It's like a journal… and a computer put together?" When Naminé's confusion did not dissipate, Riku didn't even bother trying again. "It's something Chip and Dale created. Everyone has one. We can use it to keep in touch across worlds. I'll show you how to use it in a sec. It might be easier than explaining."

"Um, okay."

Riku turned back to the dashboard, pulling up a map of the worlds. "You didn't answer my initial question," he said. "Anywhere you want to go next?"

Naminé looked down at her sketchbook. She had stopped flipping through it when Riku mentioned the Gummiphone, but she had not noticed she had stopped at her drawing of Sora and Roxas. _You hold half of what he is. He needs you, Roxas._

That was something about truths. They could change.

So much could change. Truths. Feelings. Promises.

Those moments with Roxas were among her fondest memories. They were not always happy, but Naminé cherished every minute shared and every word exchanged between them. She sympathized with him, wanted to help him. Even though the circumstances had been far from ideal, Roxas was the first person she had met with no lies, manipulation, or guilt weighing her down.

But not anymore.

Because now she knew the only reason she had gotten to meet him at all was because he'd forgotten about Xion. And the reason why he had forgotten about Xion was Naminé. She had not _intended_ for things to happen that way, but they did. It _was_ her fault. Maybe if Naminé had tried harder to find a way around the leakage of Sora's memories into Xion, it wouldn't have happened. But she didn't, and so Xion was forgotten.

Now that Roxas has Xion back in his life… surely there was no place for Naminé within it.

"There is… no place I could think of. I never had a home to go back to like you do, Riku."

Riku frowned. "What about people? People you want to see?"

Naminé lifted her shoulders and let them drop. "Even if there were, it doesn't mean they want to see me. I don't want to bother him- I mean, them."

Riku drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "What makes you so sure?" he asked quietly. "What makes you so sure they wouldn't want to be bothered by you?"

"Sora said there were people who missed me," she said, thinking of her time in the Final World. "Maybe they do, but nobody missed me enough to be the spark I needed to be whole again." _I had to find my own way back, following the chains of memories that kept me imprisoned for so long.._. "I'm… not like Roxas."

"But what about _Roxas_?" Riku asked softly, "I know the two of you made some kind of promise in the World That Never Was. Don't you want to see it through?"

"It's okay," she replied, her voice feeling strangely detached from her tongue as she spoke. "He's got his own life now. He's been reunited with all the people who missed him. He deserves it more than anyone. Isn't that more important than some other promise he made with a girl he barely knew?"

Riku was quiet for a very long time as he contemplated her answer. Finally, he sighed. "Naminé…" he said, "I'm going to ask you something. Is that alright?"

She nodded.

"Do you not want to see Roxas because you think you'll be an inconvenience to him… Or because you _envy_ him?"

One could hear a needle drop in the aftermath.

"I don't envy of Roxas," Naminé said. Too quickly. And, perhaps, with a touch of defensiveness.

Riku raised an eyebrow at her reply. "I'll be the first to admit that I'm not great with feelings, and probably even worse with girls. But you and I have spent a good part of a year together after the Castle Oblivion mess, so I like to think I have a bit of insight on you the others don't."

Naminé clutched her sketchbook to her chest. "Where are you going with this?"

"I'm not entirely sure myself," Riku admitted. "I only want to say that envy can easily turn into resentment if you let it simmer for too long. And resentment…" He ran an agitated hand through his hair. "I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did. At least be honest with yourself if no one else. Feeling those things doesn't make you a bad person. Light and darkness are a part of every heart. Don't run from the light and don't fear the darkness, because both will make you stronger, remember?"

Naminé smiled a little despite herself. "I remember," she said. "But-"

"I know," Riku interrupted, but his tone and eyes were understanding, "probably better than anyone. You and I have both made mistakes that hurt a lot of people. We both realized we were wrong and have since done everything we could to set things right. I'm not going to tell you you _need_ to forgive yourself or something because I know it won't happen until you are ready, but… just keep that in mind, okay?"

"Okay…"

"I can't bare to watch you push people away because you're so determined to believe you don't belong anywhere. Aren't Terra and his friends proof to the contrary? They wouldn't have invited you to live with them if you did."

Staring straight ahead, Naminé nodded.

Riku turned back to the dashboard and began pressing some buttons. "Tell you what. How about I go make my report to Yen Sid and you take the time to get some rest? It's been a long day, so maybe you'll feel better after a nap."

She sighed in relief. "Thank you, Riku."

"Of course. You're my friend. It's the least I could do." Riku did not smile often, but he did now. "Especially after everything you've done for us."

Naminé was glad he didn't mention Sora or Kairi, but she knew he was thinking about them. The Replica, Sora, Kairi… Riku just didn't pick her up from Radiant Garden solely for her sake, but for the people who would have come with him if they were still here.

For all his confident words and level headed counseling, Naminé wondered how Riku was _really_ faring beneath it all. His entire life, he'd devoted himself to growing stronger so he could protect what mattered most to him, and now… Sora and Kairi were both gone. Even if Riku understood the next journey was one Sora had to take alone, it didn't make staying behind an easy burden to bear.

Naminé bit her lip.

"That goes for you too," she told him. "If you need someone to talk to about… anything. I'd be happy to listen."

Riku grinned. "There is one thing…"

Naminé tilted her head to the side.

"The truth is..." Riku paused long enough to release a nervous laugh. "The truth is, the reason why Roxas wasn't there when you woke up… was because I didn't tell him."

"...What?"

"I thought it was a good idea at the time," he said, avoiding her eyes and sounding almost _sulky_. "Thought it would be fun to surprise him. You know, to mess with him a little."

Naminé was at an utter loss for words.

"If I'd known how much it would upset you, I _would_ have told him. I swear."

"Why…" Naminé was still speechless, but laughter was starting to bubble up within her. Clearly Riku hadn't matured as much as she thought. "Why is it that whenever you can't tease Sora, you turn to teasing Roxas?"

"In my defense," Riku said, very much acting like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, "Roxas gives as good as he gets. Way more than Sora ever did."

Naminé was suddenly reminded of the one confrontation between Riku and Roxas she was actually present for. It was hard to hold back a smile.

"I don't know if it changes anything," Riku said, "but I couldn't let you keep making these assumptions without knowing the whole truth."

The whole truth… Naminé sighed, leaning back against her seat as Riku turned the ship into ignition. Holding her sketchbook to her chest, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to lose herself in her thoughts.

Riku might be right, except Roxas may not be the only person she envied. She's been alone for so long, and every time she thought the day the loneliness could finally end had come, it was snatched from her one way or another. At this point, she wasn't sure if her heart could stand to lose hope again.

_I do want to meet you again, Roxas. More than anything, _she thought as she closed her eyes._ I'm just afraid you don't feel the same. _

* * *

When Riku said he would be reporting to Yen Sid, Naminé had assumed he would be going straight to the Mysterious Tower. So when she woke up, rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and found that the Gummi Shop was about to land by Twilight Town's Station Plaza, she was quite… confused.

Asking Riku only resulted in shrug and the explanation that this was _one_ way to reach the Tower.

"You're free to wait in the ship," Riku had said in a way that was far too innocent to be devoid of ulterior motives as he tossed her the keys. "Call if you need anything."

Naminé kicked her legs. She did feel better after some rest, Riku was right about that. From the moment she'd woken up, she had been on her guard. Though she accepted the apology from a repentant Ansem the Wise, she didn't know what to feel about those who had once been members of the first Organization.

Then Riku came and brought news with him, both good and bad. Learning about the fates of Kairi and Sora, meeting Ventus, and honoring the Riku Replica all within the span of 24-hours had left her utterly drained.

She flipped through her sketchbook, looking at all the pictures she had drawn. Mostly, they were of other people and places she had seen, but never been to. The only ones she had of herself were of the fake memories she had drawn into Sora and the Riku Replica in Castle Oblivion.

Riku _still_ didn't give himself enough credit, it seems. Now that her mind was clearer, she was able to see the merit in his words. Naminé continued to have her doubts, perhaps she always would, but she did find it in her to - cautiously - start hoping again.

The pessimistic voice in her head had quieted down, but every time she flipped past a drawing of a group of friends, it would begin whispering. _A girl who is neither a heroine with a Keyblade, nor a princess of light, could only be a witch._

Naminé slammed her sketchbook shut. Perhaps it was time to begin drawing in a new one. That was the first thing she would tell Riku when he returned, she decided.

And yet… her hands itched to pick up a pencil or crayon and begin drawing again. Not because she had memories to fix or replace, but because it was something she liked to do and made her happy.

She looked at the Gummiphone in her hand. It wasn't as hard to use as she initially feared ("Of course not. You hijacked DiZ's data once."), but the thought of calling Riku only to ask how much longer he was going to be made her feel incredibly silly.

But those weren't her only options though. Naminé remembered there was a store in Twilight Town that sold art supplies, but… Twilight Town was such a big world. And a populated one. And this was the real Twilight Town.

This was certainly her most _intimidating_ option.

Weighing her choices, Naminé steeled herself. _Starting a new journey may not be so hard_. She shoved her sketchbook into her bag and the Gummiphone after it. As painful as the drawings were, she couldn't bare to throw it away. _Or maybe it has already begun_.

The first step was always the scariest.

Nobody paid her any mind as she walked down Station Heights, not because she was a ghost or a phantom they could not see, but she was simply another person walking down their usual street.

Naminé was really starting to feel better, _more_ than better, even. Being a part of a crowd was overwhelming, but in a pleasant way. She's been watching others live their lives her entire existence. Maybe it was time for her to start living hers. It was these happy, almost excited, thoughts that distracted her from the possibility that she might run into someone she knew.

Or even the someone she wanted to see.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Naminé noted that perhaps she had been taking her powers for granted, as much as she sometimes despised them for being the only thing people saw when they looked at her. She'd been so sure that she'd know when Roxas was near, that she would at least have some sense of forewarning before their paths were to connect again on this very street.

He hasn't changed. And yet, everything about him has changed. Roxas wasn't that lost, grieving boy imprisoned in DiZ's simulated Twilight Town, wasn't the frustrated seeker of answers who simply wanted to know who he was anymore.

Seeing him as the person he was now, Naminé wondered how she could ever begrudge him for anything. Didn't she once quietly grieve for the life she was stealing from him when she told him what she believed was the awful truth?

Roxas was close enough for her to read the flurry of emotion in his sky-blue eyes. Shock, confusion, disbelief and… a trace of longing.

Face to face with him now, Naminé didn't know what to feel. Idly, she asked herself where the courage to approach him and say her piece had gone. Washed away by Kairi's light, probably, leaving behind only shadows.

Before she could make up her mind, somebody bumped into her. A hasty apology was offered, but she barely heard it. Unable to regain her balance in time, Naminé braced herself for a hard landing, throwing out a hand in an attempt to break her fall, and then-

Roxas kept her steady, right hand on her shoulder and left hand holding her right. His hands… they were so warm.

Naminé was about to thank him for helping her when, utterly without warning, Roxas pulled her into his arms. She… She's never been hugged before. For a moment, Naminé simply stood there, paralyzed by this kind of human contact. That moment passed. What her body was unfamiliar with, she allowed herself to respond with her heart as her guide.

She learned a long time ago that no one cared for her tears. Even those who _did_ care preferred to see her smiling instead, but with Roxas holding her close, something within her simply _broke_. Naminé clung onto him as though he was the only thing that kept her tethered to this reality as an eclectic cascade of emotion came crashing out.

She didn't know exactly what she was crying about. Initially, she thought it was simply the joy of seeing Roxas again, but then she would suddenly remember empty white halls, broken-down mansions, and a castle that never was, one memory leading to another with no rhyme or reason. Once it began, it was so hard to _stop_.

If only letting herself cry in the arms of another boy didn't feel like such a betrayal. The Riku Replica… Naminé didn't deserve his devotion. She never did.

She felt something wet on her shoulder as Roxas began to stroke her hair, a caress so gentle even she could not deny the meaning behind it. _Roxas too, he misses you! _Sora… Sora was right wasn't he? Naminé cried for him too, the first friend she ever had. Setting out alone on another adventure, determined to find Kairi again no matter the distance, and no matter the cost.

And Kairi… At long last, Naminé began to cry for Kairi, always the one left behind and always separated from her friends. She had welcomed Naminé not knowing who she was or what she had done, keeping her heart safe and sheltered within her own, while asking for nothing in return. With Kairi gone from the worlds, Naminé wondered if she could ever truly be whole without her Other.

On and on it went, until she poured it all out and let it go, steadily becoming aware of her surroundings again. Naminé took a long, shuddering breath, closing her eyes to capture this moment in her heart. Roxas was as warm as an afternoon day, so different from the cool, crisp white walls that had surrounded her all her life. This kind of warmth… it made her feel safe and protected, and all Roxas needed to do was to hold her.

But, the realist in her knew she could not stay in his embrace forever. Naminé reluctantly pulled back, wiping the last of her tears away and tending to her runny nose. She looked up with a sniffle. There was a tear trail running down his cheek even as he smiled softly at her. She reached up and wiped it away.

"Looks like we meet again." Her voice was scratchy and hoarse, and yet she wanted to sing. "Like we promised."

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**epilogue**:

"Oh, Roxas! You didn't say you were showing up with a _girl!_"

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regarding naminé's "spark."

\- her waking up surrounded by former organization members and ansem the wise rubs me the wrong way. this is one explanation/theory that makes it easier for me to swallow

\- namine's powers have always been used for others, so i like the idea of namine using them to help herself for a change

\- she's an anomaly already anyway so why not


End file.
